


a dummy's guide to caring for a mochi

by allthelines



Category: NCT (Band)
Genre: Fluff, I Will Go Down With This Ship, M/M, also there's some swearing because i cannot write without swearing apparently, or at least i hope it's fluff, this was incredibly self-indulgent, trigger warning just in case: both of them lost their parents, with a sprinkle of diet angst?
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-25
Updated: 2018-12-25
Packaged: 2019-09-27 08:07:07
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,116
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17158349
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/allthelines/pseuds/allthelines
Summary: Jaemin has to admit, he wasn’t thinking very much nor very hard when he brought Jisung home. As it turns out, it doesn’t take much to love the kid either.





	a dummy's guide to caring for a mochi

**Author's Note:**

> i haven't written in years, this is not beta-ed and i'm immune to seeing my own mistakes so please feel free to point them out to me!! (or click back while you still can)
> 
> * * *
> 
> this has been edited as of 19/8/19!

Jaemin fidgeted nervously under the gazes at him, good lord, he’s only twenty-five— that’s probably only slightly more than half the age of all these parents seated in this hall waiting their turn to see their kids’ teachers.

 _This parent-teacher-meet was a bad idea._ Cringing inwardly, he pulled out his phone to send an SOS message to his best-friend-slash-ex-roommate, _for what_ , he didn’t know. Just to feel better that he’s doing something (useless) in the situation, maybe.

Renjun replied the SOS message with a cackling gif, followed by another gif of a girl group member mouthing ' _fighting_!’ coupled with lots of aegyo which prompted Jaemin to lock the screen and sigh. _I need better friends. Opening applications to be Na Jaemin's new best friend, please sign up with your name and contact—_

“Park Jisung’s parents?”

Jaemin winced and raised his hand shakily, “Here, I mean...” He can hear the low murmurs and comments beginning around him. “Technically I’m his guardian, not parent, um...”

The teaching assistant eyed him warily from top to toe before ushering him into a classroom. Jisung sat at the far end, giving him a wary glance before looking down and continuing his tapping away at his phone.

“Jisung’s brother, right?” A smiley man, Jisung’s homeroom teacher, reached out to Jaemin for a handshake and guided him to the seat in front of him.

“I guess you could sort of say that,” Jaemin chuckled nervously, eyeing the nameplate on the desk. “Mr. Lee.”

“Please, call me Taeyong,” Taeyong smiles kindly. “I noticed that Jisung had been collecting his own report cards for the past three years now, and this one’s the last school report card before national exams in the next semester... As his teacher I just wanted to make sure everything is okay at home?”

Jaemin exhaled heavily. “Things are... kind of complicated. Jisung’s a really close family friend, and he’s been living me for the past three years after both our parents met with an accident.” Taeyong noticeably sat up straighter hearing that, apology and condolences ready to leave his lips. Jaemin managed a weak smile while explaining that it’s no longer a sensitive issue for them. “Is there any particular reason why you’re asking about it?”

Taeyong waved his worries off with a gentle smile. “Jisung’s grades have always been better than average. It’s just that as of late he seems very distracted. He has missed a few assignments, but those aren’t graded, so it’s nothing much to worry about.”

“Ah... He doesn’t really tell me much about what he does at school except show me his report cards, so I assumed everything was going fine.”

“I see. There’s nothing much in particular, actually. Maybe you could start discussing with him about tertiary education options? Especially with the national exams coming up next semester,” Taeyong offered.

Jaemin nodded and glanced across the room briefly. Jisung had been staring but averted his gaze immediately when their eyes met. Jaemin sighed. 

——————————

The ride home was quiet, as it had been for the past couple of weeks. Usually Jisung would fiddle with the AUX cord and in-built player to share excitedly about a new song he had been listening to, but it had been literal radio silence for a while. Jaemin couldn’t figure out for the life of him what he might’ve done wrong to get the silent treatment from his... _ward? Housemate? Definitely not son._ He shuddered at the thought. 

It had been three years since Jaemin brought Jisung home but he still could not, for the life of him, figure out the terms to their relationship. On papers they’re definitely guardian and ward, but even that would stop holding true when Jisung turned eighteen in slightly under two years.

Three years ago, Jaemin handled funeral processions for both his and Jisung parents like an _emotionless zombie_ (Renjun’s words, not his) while Jisung laid unconscious in a hospital bed. What was supposed to be a happy trip down to Jeju for the family friends turned into a three-car-collision on a dimly lit crossroad. Only Jisung survived, and that was only because he was small enough and sandwiched in between his parents in the back seat to avoid most of the damage. Jaemin hadn’t tag along because it was still the school term for him. _Fuck university, honestly._ Jisung woke up a couple of days later, promptly started crying, which in turn finally induced the waterworks in Jaemin. Hours of hugging and crying together later, Jaemin decided he was going to bring Jisung home. Renjun told him then, or rather, half-yelled at him in the hospital corridors, “You’re absolutely nuts, you’re becoming a _dad_ at twenty-two! Are you even thinking this through?” Jaemin shushed him and rolled his eyes. “I’m not going to be his dad, just, a guardian, for now? Don’t say it so loudly, he can hear you.” 

Even Jisung questioned him, “Why are you bringing me home, aren’t you still in school, hyung?” Jaemin just pinched his mochi-like cheeks (which elicited a lot of whining on Jisung’s part) and replied, “Well, that’s too bad because we only have each other now. I’m the best thing you’ve got currently, so quit complaining, we’ve got a hell lot to do to settle you in.” And that was that. 

Honestly, in Jaemin’s opinion, they’ve done pretty well in the last three years despite the act of impulse and utter lack of planning. He graduated and got a job, at least. He also truly doted on Jisung in every aspect. Everything Jisung wanted, he would give it to him. Things Jisung never asked for, he would also force it onto him. He even memorized Jisung’s timetable and arranged his schedule around the younger’s so he could send him to school every morning (along with a hug and pinch of his cheeks). 

Until recently, that is, for whatever reason he had pissed his little mochi off about. Maybe it was the stray cat Jaemin wouldn’t let him pick off the streets and bring home last week. 

“Did Mr. Lee complain about me?”

Jaemin’s eyes brightened slightly; this was the first time Jisung initiated a conversation in the past couple of days. Jaemin hummed nonchalantly as he keyed in the numbers to the apartment. “Yes and no, he said you haven’t been handing in your assignments, but it’s not affecting your grades so it’s okay.”

He turned to pinch Jisung’s cheeks. Looking into the younger boy’s eyes ( _wow since when did he grow this tall, haven’t we been eating the same food?_ ), he sighed. “I know I never have to worry about your grades, but can’t you tell me why you’ve been ignoring me, and neglecting your work?” Jisung averted his gaze, tips of his ears turning red. He petulantly swatted at Jaemin’s hands with a whine, pushing past him to get into the apartment. Jaemin pursed his lips and tried again. “This is not about the stray kitten last week, right?” 

Jisung halted in his footsteps and turned just enough to look Jaemin in the eye. There’s a fleeting moment where Jisung seemed to look upset, but it might just be the trick of the lights coming on above them. “No, it’s not. I’m over that. You know— Just continue to not worry about me, I’ll get over it eventually!”

Jaemin petted his hair gently, fingertips tracing lightly over his scalp. “Okay fine, since you don’t want to say it now I won’t force it out of you. But if it gets bad you have to tell me okay?”

A non-committal _yeah_ was all he got before Jisung wrestled his way out of Jaemin’s hands and ran to his room. “Call me when it’s dinner time!”

——————————

It’s a couple of weeks later and Jisung is less quiet around him but sometimes still acts awkwardly. _Exhibit A_ : Jisung had recoiled from his morning hug two days in a row, mumbling that he had a textbook chapter to finish reading before class started and promptly ran off into school. Jisung’s a good student but _never_ that excited about school. _Exhibit B_ : For the past week, in the middle of the day, Jisung would text him not to come pick him up because dance practice would run late. Usually Jisung would just tell him whatever later time it’d probably end and have Jaemin pick him up all the same. _Exhibit C_ : Exhibit C... there’s no exhibit C but Jaemin knew he had to find out what’s wrong.

Jaemin knew he shouldn’t be doing this. He’s been a teenager before and the last thing he ever wanted was his parents rifling through his things. But he wanted answers and Jisung wasn’t giving him any, so he resorted to digging through the younger boy’s bag while he was in the shower.

Nothing much seemed out of the ordinary in the bag, just textbooks, lined paper, stationery and... _A box?_

Jaemin picked up the box and gave it a shake. A cute, pink little ribbon was stuck to the front of it and things tumbled about inside the box. Curiosity getting the better of him, he opened it to find expensive looking, individually wrapped candies along with a neatly written letter. Definitely not Jisung’s, because his handwriting was worse than chicken scratch. He lets himself snort at the thought of it. 

“Hyung?”

Jaemin turned to see Jisung toweling his hair and he should be a lot more embarrassed to have been caught going through other people’s things but that wasn’t the important matter at hand anymore.

“Oho, Park Jisung, you got a confession and didn’t tell me? Is that why you’ve been so distant lately? Are you seeing somebody now?”

Jaemin reasoned it’s only right that Jisung gets confessed to. He’s tall, definitely got all the good genes from his parents, participates in the school’s dance club and all school’s dance clubs always come with immense popularity.

“No,” Jisung replied tartly. “I rejected her and said _my dad_ doesn’t allow me to date because I’m too young.”

Jaemin made a scandalised face at the emphasis in his words and gasped dramatically, “Who are you calling your dad, I’m not that old! And how could you push the blame onto me?”

Jisung shrugged and chewed his bottom lip nervously. _It’s kinda your fault to be honest_. “I didn’t know what else to say. Just wanted to get out of the situation.”

“Well, you know I’m perfectly fine with you seeing someone. Is there someone else you like in school? Is that why you rejected her? C’mon tell me, tell me!”

“I don’t like anybody in school.” _Because the person I like is at home_ , was what he didn’t say. “You can have the candies, it’s your favourite brand.”

With that, he shoved both Jaemin (and the box) out of his room.

“Call me when you’re done making dinner!” Jisung yelled through the door before flinging himself onto his bed.

“All you ever want me for is food!”

 _That’s not true_ , Jisung groaned frustratedly into his pillow.

——————————

Jaemin’s waiting in the car for Jisung to finish extra-curricular activities and scrolling through his notifications. There’s a message from that one colleague who keeps bothering him and trying to set him up on blind dates. After that one time they had a company dinner and she shared a photo of all of them sitting around the table on her social media, he had apparently been getting a lot of _love calls_ from her friends.

There’s a photo of a lady attached to the message, along with her education background and current work.

“Think about it, Jaemin. It’d be nice to have someone to cuddle with on movie nights, share a coffee in the mornings, go on walks together in the evening hand-in-hand... Just a partner you can happily spend time with!”

_But I do have someone I spend time happily with? Jisung lets me cuddle him if I let him pick the movie every Friday. We have an entire breakfast together every morning. We don’t go on walks in the evening, good lord do you know how polluted the air is in the evening?_

Right at that moment, Jisung slipped into the passenger seat and Jaemin instinctively reached for his cheeks. Like clockwork, Jisung whined but let Jaemin pinch them anyway.

“How’s school today?” 

Jisung grunted and shrugged in response. “Same old.” 

 _Anyhow, the best part is getting to pinch Jisung’s cheeks everyday and hearing him whine about it but secretly like it anyway. In what way isn’t Jisung like a partner already?_ At that moment of realization, Jaemin’s hand froze mid-air.

“Hyung? You okay there?” Jisung held his arm carefully by the wrist.

Jaemin shrunk away from the touch slightly, jostled by his thoughts. Jisung’s expression morphed into one that could rival a kicked puppy’s immediately. Seeing the hurt in the younger's eyes brought Jaemin back to reality quickly. Reaching out to ruffle Jisung’s hair, he assured the younger boy he just suddenly remembered a deadline at work.

 _Na Jaemin, you’re despicable for preying on a minor!_ He scolded and delivered a few hits to himself mentally, pulling the car out of the school's car park.

——————————

Jisung’s doing the dishes after dinner; it was an unspoken rule between them that began when they first started living together and slowly became habitual. Jaemin would cook and Jisung, not knowing what he else he could do to help, decided to wash the dishes after every meal. There were occasions when Jisung got lazy and didn’t do them, excusing himself with the pretext of having a lot of homework, but Jaemin lets him off because he’s cute, and let’s be real, he’s always going to have a soft spot for the kid. 

It’s quiet, a little too quiet, as Jaemin watched him rinse the dishes. He hopped onto the kitchen island and unlocked his phone, screen still on the messages his colleague had sent him in the evening. He hadn’t replied, and didn’t know what to reply.

“Jisung-ah, my colleague keeps asking me to go on a blind date with her friend. I don’t really know how to reply… Should I just go?”

Jisung’s hand movements stopped, while the water continued running. Jaemin noticed and hurriedly added, “I mean— I’m just joking! The girl she’s trying to introduce me to is totally not my type.”

“Then what’s your type?” The younger boy slowly placed the sponge and plate down in the sink and turned off the tap. He turned to stand between Jaemin’s legs, trapping Jaemin on the counter. Pulling the older boy closer by the neck, Jisung leaned in to kiss him fully on the lips. Before Jaemin could even reply or react, Jisung had let go of him. “I don’t want you to go.”

Realizing what he had done, Jisung stepped back quickly, mumbling his apologies and ran off to his room. Jaemin hopped off the island and hurried after him, just in time to stop Jisung from slamming his door shut and locking it. Seeing no escape, Jisung dived under his blanket and transformed into a giant padded mochi. _If he can’t see Jaemin, Jaemin can’t see him._

“Jisung-ah.” Jaemin tried as he pried the covers off the younger’s head. Jisung looked up with tears in his eyes. _Kicked puppy? Nothing beats a crying mochi._

“I’m sorry, hyung, please don’t go.”

Jaemin pulled the blanket roll closer to him and tried as much as he could to wrap his arms around it. “I’m not gonna go to the blind date, okay?”

Jisung shook his head, tears rolling down his cheeks. “Please don’t leave me. I like you, I really like you hyung. You don’t have to like me back but please don’t not want me anymore.”

Reaching out to wipe at the tear tracks, Jaemin softly whispered, “I’m so sorry Jisung-ah...”

 _This is it_ , Jisung thought. _He’s going to reject me and then he’ll tell me we can’t live together anymore. This is it_.

“I’m so sorry, hyung didn’t notice at all. I’m such a terrible guardian aren’t I?” Jaemin sighed heavily. “I don’t know if it’s because we only have each other, and maybe you’re not going to like me anymore after you find someone else better—” 

“I’m not going to, hyung. To me, you’re the best,” Jisung interrupted, reaching out of his blanket burrow to grab Jaemin’s hands. Jaemin looked down at their clasped hands and laced their fingers together instead. He glanced up slowly with a small smile. “Are you sure? Because I really like you, too.” 

Jisung’s breath hitched at the declaration, but he nodded quickly after. 

“What am I going to do with you…” Jaemin sighed again, with a bigger smile on his face this time. He reached up to wipe away the tears on Jisung’s face carefully. “I don’t know what to say except I’m sorry. For making you cry. And sorry again because you’ve been stuck with me like this for a while, and going to be stuck with me for and even longer time. And sorry once more, because I’m older and will probably leave you first in future, and you’re going to be all on your own and lonely after that. But I promise I’ll never not want you. Is that going to be okay?” 

Jisung pulled Jaemin slightly into the blanket burrito and hugged him, resting his head on the older’s shoulder. “More than okay. It’s more than okay. I just want to be with you like that for as long as I can. You said we only have each other when you brought me home, and that you’re the best thing I’ve got from then on. I thought I was going to be sad for a very long time even after that, but you’re really all I have and the best thing to happen to me. Everyday spent with you makes me feel happy. We can worry about the future together.” 

Tears began to drip down Jaemin’s face as well. He closed his eyes and wrapped his arms around the younger’s waist, snuggling into the hug a little more. “You’re the best thing I had then, and honestly the best thing I’ve got now, too. I love you, baby.” Jisung giggles a little and Jaemin feels the vibrations of his chest against his. “Am I not your _teenaged_ _son_ anymore? Have I been downgraded to a _baby_?” 

Jaemin laughed as well and smacked him gently on the back. “You brat.” 

“ _Your_ brat,” Jisung corrected, turning slightly to give Jaemin a kiss on the cheek. “I love you too, hyung.” 

Jaemin hummed contentedly as he ran his fingers through Jisung’s hair. “‘Love you more.”   


**Author's Note:**

>  _renjun: wow na jaemin who knew you brought a boyfriend home three years ago_  
>  _jaemin: shut up, nobody asked for your opinion?? where were you when i needed you_  
>  _renjun: did you really ever needed me? you only need jisung_  
>  _jaemin: [you have been blocked by na jaemin. the recipient will not be able to receive and read your messages.]_  
>  _renjun: what the hell jaemin, this is a face to face conversation_  
>   
> 
> sorry i haven't written in years, am more than rusty and will take my leave now
> 
> [cc](https://curiouscat.me/allthelines) || [twt](https://twitter.com/jaesungrise)


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